Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and its characters. This is a collaboration work with my friend, beta reader, and co-writer Shirahane Aikawa.
Kaname stayed with Asuka and her siblings while they prepare for their long journey to the Hidden Leaf Village. Although reluctant to leave the village, Asuka was not given much of a choice for it was for the safety of herself and her family. While the other villagers are busy rebuilding there is still rising concern of another attack like the last time so Kaname and their mother decided to relocate their family and the other vulnerable family to a safe place.
After she was done with the preparation Asuka decided to check on Kaname. She looks around and found Kaname sitting on the windowsill his gaze felt so far away.
"Kaname." Asuka linked her arm around her fiancee.
"Yes, my dear." Yes, Kaname does smile but his smiles always feel it like never reaches his eyes, and often times she is bothered with that. Ever since then Kaname always has this regal aura around him everybody loves him despite that fact no one dared try to get close to him because for everybody he is also that someone that's hard to reach.
"Are you alright Asuka?" Kaname asked pulling her back to reality.
"Yes, I'm fine." Asuka nodded.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"You know you can always tell me everything."
"I know that for our safety we have to relocate but why can't you come with us?" It's a dumb question and she knows that Kaname needs to stay behind together with his people who decided to risk everything and stay behind to help protect and rebuild the village this is just her being childish but she is worried...terribly worried for her fiancée's safety. But still relocating to the Hidden leaf left her with a sinking feeling of dread she can't understand why she feels this way.
"There are certain things that we need to sacrifice in order to protect the people and the village itself I know you understand that."
"I-I know...it's just that..." I'm worried about relocating to a foreign land and leaving you. Asuka wanted to say that but she bit her lip to stop herself she can't put her finger on it but ever since before the foreign ninja showed up and attacked their village, she felt like Kaname starts withdrawing back to his old self, distant. And that sad look in his eyes is back.
"This is our last night together do you want to come with me for a walk?" Kaname's smooth voice snapped her back to reality.
Asuka nodded, "Yes, of course."
Asuka and Kaname slowly walking around the village whilst briefly stopping over to greet each villager who stops by and give their thanks to them. Spending the night together as much as they can before she and her family leave tomorrow. They walk as far as to Asuka's favorite place in the village, bordering the lake and the village great wall is the lake, beautifully illuminated by the moonlight that night.
"Asuka, I know you are worried about me but I will be fine." Kaname said embraces Asuka from behind. Asuka sighed at the warmth from Kaname's embrace she will miss. "Yes, as your future wife I have to support your decisions even if it meant us living separately."
"I am lucky to have you, we will get married as soon as I am done dealing with our problems here in the village."
Kaname turned Asuka to face him and kissed her softly, pouring his feelings towards her to the kiss that Asuka equally returned.
The following morning Kaname accompanied Asuka, Kiseki, and Nozomi to the entrance of his village where Akatsuki, Hanabusa, and the shinnobi's from Hidden Leaf are already waiting for them.
"Akatsuki and Hanabusa will be joining you to the Hidden Leaf Village, they will be protecting you in my stead." Kaname said when he saw Asuka and her sibling surprised to see them both at the village with their bags packed. Akatsuki and Hanabusa are one of the most skillful fighters in their village if they are coming along with them Kaname and the village will be left vulnerable.
"B-But that means leaving you and Seiren alone to protect the village!" Asuka is flooded with worry Kaname will be sending two of his generals as their bodyguard leaving him and the village vulnerable. What if the village is attacked again and he is the only one there to face them?
"Hey Asuka don't forget Seiren is here as well..." Akatsuki said trying to prevent Asuka's "mother mode" to unleash it was cute at first but in the long run? Definitely not ideal. She's too much than his girlfriend.
"She is a one-man army you know what she's capable of..." Hana reassured the younger female.
"But still..."
"Don't worry my dear we will be fine..." Kaname said gently his hand holding her's giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"A-Alright." Asuka conceded, she's still not sure about the situation but Kaname said it was fine but still the idea of leaving just the two of them in the village to protect it then sending two of his best fighters as their bodyguard doesn't sit well with her.
"Now all is settled I'm happy that you are coming with us we can continue our training there uncle Akatsuki." Kiseki said excitedly that his training will continue.
"Hi there Minato and Mitsuki." Nozomi waved at her two saviors.
"You'll be coming with us? That's great I will be showing you around our village." Minato said with excitement showing in his eyes.
"Easy there Minato-kun you still have to take care of your injuries." Natsu said to remind her brother of his condition.
"I can accompany you instead though." Mitsuki suddenly said surprising everyone.
Kiseki who silently listened to the conversation cut them off. "No my sister will not go with anyone of you around your village, she will stay with us wherever we will be staying at."
Before Minato can say speak back at Kiseki, Sasuke stepped in front of the children. "We should leave now if we want to arrive back at the hidden leaf in the afternoon."
Asuka felt it again the hard beating of her heart when she saw Sasuke and heard his voice.
Kaname suddenly placed a chaste kiss on Asuka's forehead that distracted her from her thoughts. "Stay with Akatsuki or Hanabusa at all times. Take care of yourself and your siblings there, it will be an entirely new world for you in their village."
Asuka nodded and blushed at the sudden show of affection from Kaname in front of many people which was a first for him.
Sasuke saw the entire exchange between Kaname and Asuka and felt nothing but the anger he can't explain. The last time he felt like this was when he was jealous of Shin and Hinata's closeness before, but that woman who looked like Hinata was not her so why was he feeling like this?
Naruto saw Sasuke's sharingan activated and lightly pushed him which made Sasuke glare at him in return. "Teme I thought you said we should leave now, so why are we still here?"
"You heard the dobe let's go!" Sasuke eased off his sharingan and walked ahead.
The trip back to the hidden leaf went by without any trouble and delay, they arrived on schedule as Sasuke predicted.
"Finally, we are home, my stomach's been aching since we left in the morning. I will go ahead guys, see you at the academy tomorrow." Chocho said to his friends and dashed off to his favorite restaurant where he knew his father would be at eating as well.
"I will take my leave also, I have to tell my mom that my father stayed in Souren village as part of diplomatic exchange between our villages. I don't want to worry her anymore." Haru followed after Chocho, he has a lot of explaining to his mother Sakura who was left alone at their home.
"My children why don't you go ahead and return home I am sure your mother's worried about you two also. Tell her I will come home for dinner." Naruto told his children. "Shikadai, your parents must be worried about you also, you should go home now."
"Sure. I'll see you soon. Come on Mitsuki your home is next to ours, why don't we walk together?" Shikadai asked his friend.
"Hey Mitsuki, don't forget your report submit it as soon as possible at the hokage's office." Sasuke reminded Mitsuki who just nodded and followed Shikadai.
"As for our visitors, follow us back to my office and we will discuss where you will be staying here in our village." Naruto said and motioned Sasuke to join him back to his office much to the dismay of the last Uchiha who would rather spend time in his metal workshop than join Naruto and their visitors for a meeting.
Despite the silence from the Souren Village residents, Asuka felt a sort of familiarity when he saw the Hidden Leaf Village's main gate it was like she saw it in one of her dreams.
"What is this place? Why do I feel like I've been here before?" Asuka thought to herself.
Hanabusa saw Asuka with a worried look on her face and the sweat the formed on her forehead when they arrived.
"Is anything wrong?" Hanabusa asked with a worried tone on her voice.
Asuka just shook her head. She didn't want to worry Hanabusa, besides she doesn't know herself why she felt like that when this was the first time she's been in this village for she never left their village before.
Gasps were heard as they walked inside the Hidden Leaf Village proper, it was unusual to see their hokage and the last Uchiha come back from a mission together. Joined by the outsiders who dressed traditionally from an era way before their forefathers.
Asuka felt more at unease than she did before when they arrived at the gate. Everything was like the one she saw in her dreams; the shops, the name of the streets, even the placing of what looked like ninjas on every corner.
"Just what is this place, why do I know it like the back of my hand?" Asuka thought.
Kiseki and Nozomi were also amazed at the size and the many shops and homes inside the Hidden Leaf Village.
"We are definitely not in Souren anymore." Kiseki said in a huff, he doesn't hate the village they are currently in but he doesn't like the way people are gawking at them like they are some kind of alien in their eyes.
"Oniichan, don't scowl like that. People are looking at us, you don't want them to have a bad impression don't you?" Nozomi told her brother.
"I am not scowling, I just don't like people looking at us like that." He immediately answered back to his twin.
Akatsuki and Hanabusa were quiet in their walk, they just took note of where the other gates and where the ninjas are usually assigned.
"They are watching us."
"And they think we wouldn't notice that?"
"Clearly we're still untrustworthy in their eyes."
When they reached the hokage building Naruto led his visitors to his office where Shikamaru was busy reading and arranging paper works that awaited Naruto's approval.
Shikamaru immediately noticed the strangers that followed Naruto and Sasuke. He also saw the woman who looked like Hinata and looked back to Sasuke who just sighed back at him.
"Strange and troublesome. I wonder who these people are and that woman who looked like Hinata. I definitely need a smoke right now." Shikamaru thought and stood up from Naruto's chair for him to seat at.
Naruto took his seat, "Welcome to Hidden Leaf Village, that is my advisor Nara Shikamaru. I hope you will like and enjoy your stay here with us until the rehabilitation of your village is finished. If you would excuse me and Sasuke for a minute as we will discuss where you guys will be staying for the meantime while here. Shikamaru kindly lead them to the next room and wait until I summon for them."
Shikamaru sighed and led them to the room next to Naruto's office and will ask more about who they were and what are they doing here in the Hidden Leaf Village.
"I don't get why you need to discuss with me where they would be staying, shouldn't Shikamaru be the one you talking to about this?" Sasuke asked in annoyance, he was more of an action than a discussion kind of guy doesn't Naruto know him enough yet?
"This concerns you Sasuke because they will be staying at your estate." Naruto said and sighed at the sight of the tall paper works in front of him.
"What?! Are you serious?" Sasuke bellowed in anger. How can Naruto decide something like allowing strangers to their village and ask him to open his home to them?
"You have the largest estate, besides only you and your housekeeper Mako live there. Also, you don't want Asuka and those children with them not having a place to stay don't you."
Sasuke snarled in anger, "You used that woman and the children on me again to agree on your stupid decisions."
"No, I am just stating the facts. Aside from them staying at your estate, you will also accompany Kiseki and Nozomi tomorrow at the academy and enroll them in the shinobi program. As for Asuka, you will be her escort and help her familiarize with our village while Akatsuki and Hanabusa will make sure that our assistance to their village is running smoothly."
Sasuke can't believe what he just heard from Naruto and before he could say something Naruto beat him to it.
"I am making this an S class mission and since you have a perfect record, you don't want to ruin your record by not accomplishing this don't you?" Naruto asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Damn you bastard." Sasuke said with his sharingan tomoes rotating wildly in his eye.
"You will thank me sometime later for this teme, so quit your whining and just do this."
Author's Note: Always keep safe everyone.